EUTHANASIA in Pets - NAVE DISCUSSION #1

Hello NAVE crew! This video will kick off a new playlist on NAVE, called NAVE Disussions!

The goal of this playlist is to discuss controversial topics involving Veterinary Anesthesiology and weigh both sides of the discussion. In all the videos, we will present our point of view, and it's up to you to agree or not! To participate, just post your comment here on YouTube. In this first video, we will discuss whether or not we should euthanize animals.

Currently, with the advancement of veterinary medicine, pets are living longer every day. This is great because we all want our animals to stay with us for as long as possible! However, this ends up resulting in some health problems that, at some point, can make the pet's life very difficult.

The decision to opt for euthanasia in a pet is one of the most difficult that on owner can face. It involves a mixture of emotions, from deep love for the animal to sadness and the pain of saying goodbye. Often, this decision is made after long periods of intensive care, veterinary consultations, and treatment attempts.

This delicate topic generates many reflections. When an animal is facing a serious illness, intense pain, or compromised quality of life, euthanasia can and should be considered as a compassionate and humane option. It is important to understand that this decision must be made very carefully, always seeking the well-being of the animal. In this video, we will raise some points that should be considered when this difficult decision arises.

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Life Expectancy and Quality of Life

In the past, the relationship between animals and families was very distant. Thinking about dogs and cats, they basically lived outdoors, away from home, and, let's say, with little social interaction with humans and low-quality food.

Today, dogs and cats easily live for more than 10 to 12 years... That's great! They are also much more involved with the family, being a part as if they were children, developing complex emotional relationships and everything else. However, at some point in life, they end up losing autonomy and quality of life... And we all need to understand that it's more logical for the animal to die before the owner...

Well, then comes the guardian's sense of "possession," thinking that the animal will never leave us... This feeling of possession, of eternity, weighs against euthanasia because the person ends up wanting to perpetuate a relationship that, knowingly, will not be eternal... and sometimes, the animal keeps suffering, with no quality of life... just so we can maintain this relationship.

Then come the questions: Is it better to euthanize in this case? Or is it better to keep the animal in very poor conditions of life just to postpone its death?

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Cost of maintaining the animal

If the decision is to keep the animal alive no matter what, is that feasible? Will the guardian be able to afford all the costs to try to keep the animal alive? Is it worth spending more and more money to keep the animal suffering? And if they could choose? Speak to you? Would they choose to remain in that condition?

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Euthanasia vs Religion

Our goal is far from discussing religious concepts and euthanasia, but they will always be together at a time like this. Regardless of the guardian's belief, if they have one, questions arise: Is it right for us to end the suffering of the animal before its natural end? Is there something on the other side, if there is such a thing, that makes it necessary for them to go through this? Can the guardian, acting in this 'swiftness of their animal's death,' be penalized by the supernatural? Considered a killer? Or will they be valued for abbreviating the suffering of the poor animal? Having the compassion to make that decision?

As we showed in the video, these are very complex concepts that do not give us a 100% accurate answer. What we need to know is that we must analyze the entire situation, talk to everyone involved, and if euthanasia is decided, do it ethically and professionally. Certainly, this is one of the most difficult and respectful moments we can have with an animal.

And the question will always persist... To euthanize or not to euthanize...

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Read also about:

• Playlist Anestesia é o Básico
• Playlist Nave Ondas
• Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats - 2022 AAHA

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